Swag / Tent / Roof Top

Gday,
My old man had a roof tent and found it a pain in the bottom....
Every time you want to go for a drive you have to pack up camp.
Each to there own, but something to think about.

Cheers

I did a 10 week trip with a roof top tent and would happily do it again tomorrow. It does depend on the type of camping your doing as the previous post states, you do have to pack it up everytime you want to use your vehicle.
The plus side is that they have much more room then a swag, you have no issues with animals (crocs and snakes in the top end) and the big bonus I thought was you could sleep with flyscreen windows on all 4 sides so you always have plenty of fresh air on the warmer nights.
I did a similar trip with swags a few years earlier and found I had to put up a tent (without the fly) because it was too hot to have the swag pulled over me but I had to keep the bugs and mozzies out.
Tim

As per the previous replies it all depends on what type of camping you do, if constantly on the move with an occasional two or three night stay in one spot then the rooftop is great especially if bush camping. If you stay in caravan parks, camping areas for generally a few days the they probably aren't suitable as has been said you have to pack up to go for day trips etc. The upside is more room, permanent bed made up and depending on the brand varying degrees of undercover space for shade and shelter.
We've done all three for up to three months at a time and the rroftop is the easiest to live with if you only have two people. With kids etc then the tent is better, swags are great for constant travelling and short stops but are a pain in wet and/or cold weather as we always ended up having to put a tarp up to stop the worst of the weather and condensation. The ladies don't usually like the lack of privacy when in camping areas either.
Mind you I think age has a lot to do with it, when you are young the swag is good, middle aged with kids then the tent is good, then the rooftop when you are back to two again then the van or motorhome when you want a few more comforts on extended trips.

A bit more information from you would help members compiling answers for you. Are you on your own? Do you have children? Are you breaking camp every day? etc....A tent for me because that's what I prefer & there are so many on the market now. Rooftop tents very expensive in MHO. Swag well a tent is a third of the price & benefits out weigh the disadvantages of a swag. Items stored on the roof of your vehicle will not assist fuel economy in any way. A small tent (if on your own) can be quicly folded up & into a bag.

We just spent a week in the Snowy Mountains,(Janet and myself) camped in a few of the Kosi Nat Parks free camp spots. We have a roof top tent and find it great, much better than a tent, particularly for the insulation benefits. The floor has two, 4mm sheets of Aluminium, set about 40mm apart and filled with Polyurethane, like a sandwich i guess and off the ground. It is very warm on a cold night and as mentioned, you can open up all windows, just leaving the insect screens, and still have some privacy. If not towing, you get more space as no tent or sleeping bags are in the vehicle. The down side is packing up everyday if you are like me and would rather spend the day out looking at things rather than sitting aroung keeping the fire going.
If you are basically travelling every day and pack up each morning, and setting a new camp daily, they are terrific. It only takes a few minutes to pack up but you need to be able to jump up and down to pull the cover over the tent and strap it down. I am in the process of designing a new set of bars to accept the tent on top of our off road trailer. This will be more practical when our teenage come along with us. This will give us more flexibility and space for the boys gear and tents. Michael
P.S. A pic below a few days ago in the Snowy MountainsImage Could Not Be Found

HiTony

You have said around the centre of Oz, where ar5e you travelling and at what time of year. I live geographically about half way between Broome and Alice Springs, on the edge of Lake Gregory, but cannot give any opinion until I am sure of what I am talking about.

Safe Travels.
Cheers

Hi Tony,

I have a oz tent in which I use a stretcher and have a swag or just sleeping bag on top of it.

Main reasons is it keeps the creepie crawlies away from SWMBO. This is vitally important as if it doesn't happen, my likelihood of a return trip is severely reduced lol.

The Stretcher is purely for comfort. I never used one, Just swagged it for years. But I borrowed one for a fishing trip and immediately purchased one. They give a good nights sleep which is getting increasingly important the older/softer I get. lol


Cheers Wilko

Hi Tony
There were some good replies the other day regarding swags, but............

The original concept of a swag was very straight forward, a piece of canvas folded over and slept between. They had no mattress, just a few blankets and it was a very simple way of keeping one warm and dry and has proved itself over the decades.

We have swagged for years in a simple Australian made swag with a good high density mattress. Instead of using blankets, we use a good quality Australian made minus 10 rated sleeping bag. We have no fancy hoops to set up, or have to peg down the swag. Just undo the straps, roll the swag out flat and are ready to get in, as quick as that.

One of the fancy swags shown the other day, has completely lost the concept of the true meaning of a swag, quick, yet a practical means of sleeping out under the stars(yes looking up at the stars and not a low canvas roof over your head). Looking at that swag, it would take a long time to set up and if the conditions are bad, then my 30 second to set up Oztent is what we use.

You want your camping to be enjoyable and not spending all day and night setting your sleeping arrangements up.

One thing that we have softened up to over the last couple of years is the addition of a side awning to the vehicle, very quick to set up and roll up each morning, can be used for many purposes other than sleeping under and does give that added protection if it does come in wet over night.


Cheers

Stephen

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We have softened op over the years. The awning is handy and we can still see the stars from our swag. Just remember the KISS principal, keep it simple stupid and it does work a treat.

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The above picture shows our standard swag set up. I had to drop the awning down during the night, as the heavens opened up and it rained constantly until 3am. The water run off from the awning was quite substantial.

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There are times when we have to use the tent. This was a good example when we were camped out south of Rawlinna. We around a small cleared area on the side of the track. There was no timber for a warming fire and we had a very friendly cold breeze to greet us. 30 seconds later, we were out of the cold, and used the tent as a shelter. We had our tea inside the tent, then wrote up our journals for the day. When it was time to hit the sack, we simply unrolled the swag inside of the tent and ready for bed, as simple as that.

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This is a good example of showing the benefit of an awning. When we arrived at Neale Breakaway just before lunch, it was quite warm and no shade what so ever. A quick roll out of the awning and we were able to have good shade cover to have our lunch and when we were read to go, it was rolled up in under a minute.

Hi Tony,
earlier this year my wife and I travelled to Cape York through Western Qld and back through Central Qld. We used a Shipp Shape rooftop tent. It takes literally 5 minutes to setup, only slightly longer to pack up and it was great.
As previously stated, the bedding is kept in the tent with the bed made up, plus we carried a 6x3 fold up table in the tent as well. With the Shipp Shape tent you have a 5 inch thick, queen sized mattress which was really comfortable. The travel cover becomes an instant awning which can be pegged down or held up with poles depending on what you want, or what the weather dictates.
Fuel economy for our 80 series Landcruiser diesel averaged about 15 litres per 100kms which isn't much worse than what I use without the tent on top. I was worried it might make the Cruiser top heavy but we did Old Telegraph Line track and Frenchmans, plus many more in our three weeks on the Cape, and never had a problem.
The Shipp Shape we took was a borrowed one and as soon as we got home we bought our own. We've had camper trailers, tents, swags, the lot and the Shipp Shape is the most convenient accomodation we've owned. I must add it is only the two of us, plus a small dog, travelling now as the kids are adults and don't sleep with us. When the kids were younger the camper trailer was great and we could easily sleep 2 adults and four kids.
The issue of having to pack up if we want to move around through the day isn't a problem because it is so quick to pack up and set up. We travelled with friends that had a fold out rooftop tent and the main issue they had was that the mattress seemed a bit thin after a month on the road.
We just got back yesterday from a week that took us to Lake Cargellico, Menindee, Silverton, Cameron Corner, Tibooburra and back through Bourke and Gilgandra. Our travelling companions towed an off road camper trailer, which has issues in itself, but I noticed during the hot nights up north they felt the heat more than we did. The roof top tent doesn't accumulate heat from the road through the day and at night we could open large windows both sides to pick up any breeze. My wife loves to lie in bed looking at the stars through the windows and if the weather isn't too good they can be closed and the two full length, fully screened windows under the awning can be left open.
We love the Shipp Shape and because of this we go camping more. We're currently planning a trip to the High Country and 2012 we're off to the Kimberly, via Alice Springs and back the Darwin.
Safe travelling,

Steve